A federal judge may put a halt to Mayor George Stewart's plan to demolish the four buildings at Academy Square and sell the historical block to a Provo development company.
Utah Heritage Foundation, which holds a historical easement on the property, filed a lawsuit Monday in U.S. District Court seeking a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to stop Stewart's plan. A hearing on the temporary restraining order was scheduled for 12:15 p.m. Tuesday before Judge J. Thomas Greene.Provo purchased Academy Square in March for $765,000. Last month it signed an intent to sell the property to Georgetown Development for $765,000 plus demolition costs. Georgetown plans to build a combination high-class condominium and office complex using the original brick to rebuild the facade of the main building.
The suit says, "Defendant's actions totally contravene the preservation easement that legally binds them to protect, not destroy, Academy Square."
The city, however, says no developers have stepped forward in more than 20 years to restore and develop the block with the existing structures. Stewart says the block is now a serious health and safety hazard because of the buildings' dilapidated state.